Kagome's Odd Smell
by Dragon Ashes
Summary: Kagome's gone home for finals, but a surprise visit from Inuyasha turns awry when the hanyo smells something amiss. What could it be? Right before chapter 512 in the manga canon timeline.
1. Discovery

Kunichiwa! Until I can get started on my next big fic, I've decided to entertain you all with another attempt at humor. Seeing as my next project is going to be a little dark - and in an alternate universe, despite my love of manga canon - I figured I'd better get it all out of my system now.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Kagome's Odd Smell  
****Discovery**

Kagome dumped her school bag on her desk before collapsing on her bed. It had been a long day at school, and the fact that she was probably going to flunk all her final exams only made it worse. Plus, her friends had been on her case about her relationship with Hojo and her so-called 'violent, two-timing boyfriend.' _'At least he won't come to pick me up for a couple days...'_

"Oi, wench!"

'_...Or he could just jump through my window at the most inopportune moment.' _The exhausted schoolgirl rolled on her side to cast the invading hanyo a weary glare. "Why, hello to you too, Inuyasha. I'm thrilled that you are being your usual, polite, cheery self."

The aforementioned boy merely crouched on her floor with a blank, confused stare, his rude comments caught in his throat.

"It's called sarcasm, Inuyasha; remember?"

"Keh..." With that, the half-yokai leapt onto the bed and proceeded to stare at his human companion oddly. Almost as if...he was trying to see something inside her. It was quite disturbing, truth be told.

"...Inuyasha...?"

Her voice appeared to snap him out of his daze. "Huh?"

"Uh...why were you looking at me like that?"

"Are you pupped?" Inuyasha's ears turned back, making him look a bit like a kicked puppy.

Kagome's sleep-deprived mind was so absorbed with those cute ears that it took a moment for the words uttered by the owner of said ears to sink in.

**:DOWNSTAIRS:**

Mrs. Higurashi smiled inwardly. While she was not a proper miko like her daughter - probably due to a lack of the training and practical experience that Kagome faced on a daily basis in the Sengoku Jidai - she had enough power to sense when a yokai was near. She had noticed Inuyasha's presence the moment the boy appeared in the ancient well, and was not at all surprised when his aura moved out into the courtyard, up the Goshinboku, and through the window into Kagome's room. Despite her daughter's protests, she knew that there were feelings between the hanyo boy and the time-traveling young woman who called her "Mama." Now if only they would admit it to each other...

"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!" A scream from the bedroom where the two teens had been confined broke through Mrs. Higurashi's dreams of cute, puppy-eared grandchildren. She went back to folding laundry with a slightly depressed expression on her face. From the sounds of things, Inuyasha had just done something that would put her dreams on hold for a few more years. She would have to talk some manners into that boy. A woman can't wait forever, you know...

'_I wonder if their children will have silver hair or black...'_

**:WITH OUR FAVORITE HANYO:**

Inuyasha cowered in fear from the girl - no, angry miko - before him. Despite the fact that she had been apparently drowsing when he entered the room, her aura now blazed brightly. Kagome herself was sitting straight up on her bed, fully awake, giving him a glare so terrible that he had a primitive impulse to run far, far away. _'Ooooohhh dang...I'm in for it now...'_

"I asked you a QUESTION, Inuyasha!" The miko seethed with righteous fury and maidenly indignation. _'How DARE he suspect me of such a thing...!'_

"I...erm...well, you smelled odd...I was just worried...about you..." For some reason unknown to the hanyo boy, this seemed to appease the woman's anger. Her aura slowly calmed, but he kept his position next to the window...just in case.

Kagome, now even _more _exhausted because of the energy consumed by her outburst, laid back down. "Sorry I snapped, Inuyasha; and _**no, **_I'm not...er...'pupped.' I guess I'm just not feeling like myself today."

That grabbed Inuyasha's attention immediately. _'Oh, no! I __knew__ it was a bad idea to let her come back! Kikyo's soul must be affecting her!' _Though it had been only two weeks since Kikyo's final demise at the hands of their archenemy Naraku, Inuyasha had all but recovered due to Kagome's calming presence. However, Kagome _had _reabsorbed the rest of her soul that Kikyo had been using...

**:FROM A MIKO'S POINT OF VIEW:**

Kagome watched Inuyasha as he zoned out on her bedroom floor. She could almost hear the turining of mental wheels in the hanyo's head (_'They're probably rusty from disuse,'_ she mentally snickered; _'Why else would he accuse me of being pregnant...especially when I KNOW he can'__t smell another male on me?'_). Not for the first time, she wished she knew what was going on inside that boy's mind. Suddenly, a resolute and determined look appeared across his face that made Kagome very suspicious and uneasy.

Her miko intuition told her that he was probably going to do something very stupid. Knowing Inuyasha as she did - and not having the mental strength to fight her instincts - she guessed that it was probably true.

**:BACK WITHIN THE HANYO'S HEAD:**

There was no doubt in the Inuyasha's mind. The cause of Kagome's discomfort was most definitely Kikyo's soul. After all, what else had the power to make Kagome so tired? Nothing out of the ordinary had happened during their last trip from Kaede's village...which basically meant that they had been constantly fighting yokai, rogue samurai, and villagers who were either scared of Inuyasha or angry at Miroku's lecherous and conniving ways. Hell, they hadn't even met up with Naraku - and that had to be a first. Kagome had been in her time, safe and sound, for two days...probably sleeping the whole time, lazy wench.

Yup, Kikyo's soul was the only thing that could possibly be affecting Kagome. Well, being the intelligent and quick-thinking hanyo that he was, he knew just how to help Kagome.

He watched as the girl tried to get up off her bed...and promptly collapsed, unconscious. With his quick reflexes, he was able to catch her before she hit the ground - but he nearly dropped her when he realized just how hot she was.

'_Great...just frickin' great. Kikyo's soul is trying to burn Kagome from the inside out! She feels almost as hot as she does when she's sick!'_

Luckily, Inuyasha was ready to implement his master plan for curing Kagome. It would take a chunk out of his pride - and he would probably get several 'Oswari's from Kagome for it - but if it would save the woman he loved (er, _needed_for finding...oh, wait; Naraku had the whole Shikon jewel anyways...never mind) he was willing to risk it.

In two giant leaps, he and Kagome were on their way back to Feudal Japan. Surely Kaede-baba would know how to cure Kagome.

**:BACK INSIDE THE HIGURASHI RESIDENCE:**

Mrs. Higurashi was alerted to the fact that her daughter's unofficial boyfriend had just gone back to his own era. She decided to check on her daughter. Ever since Kagome had eaten that leftover oden, she really hadn't been acting normally.

* * *

Um...I'll just leave you all to think this over carefully. I hope you caught the subtle humor of the situation.

Yep; Inuyasha, for all his good intentions, is probably going to get some **Righteous Miko Fury(tm)** when Kagome comes to.

Poor guy.


	2. The Reason?

Sorry about the delay! I was debating on two separate paths this story could take. Well, enough chit-chat: the story must go on!

Oh, and just for the record, this story is turning into a caricature. In other words, all characters are - more or less - exaggerated. For example: Inuyasha is dense, Kagome is moody, Miroku is a pervert; you get the picture.

**Inuyasha:** Keh. That bozu's always a perv, and Kagome's always got one hell of an attitude.

**Kagome:** Inuyashaaaaaa...

**Inuyasha:** I rest my case.

**Miroku (to author):** You just _had_ to make him even more out of character, didn't you.

DISCLAIMER: Oh, come on. None of the thousands of Inuyasha fans web-wide actually _own_ the show or the manga. The exclusive rights to both belong to Rumiko Takahashi and VIZ. I do, however, own this story and idea. Maybe we can trade...

* * *

**Kagome's Odd Smell  
****The Reason?**

"And what did ye say caused this, Inuyasha?" Kaede asked, casting an odd glance at the hanyo out of her remaining eye.

Inuyasha suppressed a growl of impatience. "Keh. It's obvious, isn't it? Kikyo's soul is affecting Kagome. Nothing else has happened that could've made her sick."

The elderly miko sighed. For all his devotion and unwavering loyalty, the boy could be completely naive sometimes. "What was the child doing while in her own time? Where did she go; what did she eat; whom did she associate with? Does anyone in her family have similar symptoms? Or could it be that she is merely exhausted? Is there a treatment for her condition in her own time? I trust ye have considered all other routes of action before bringing her here against her will."

"Um..." To be honest, he hadn't quite considered all those options. "She smells weird. It's almost like she has another person's smell on her...sort of like her, but not quite. None of her family's scents smelled that way."

"Another person's scent, ye say. Could this not be a relative?"

"No...I know how her family smells. I'm tellin' ya, it's gotta be Kikyo's soul! Just stop making excuses and fix Kagome all ready."

Kaede shook her head slowly, much to the annoyance of the worry-driven hanyo who was doing his best to intimidate her into action. "Inuyasha, one must exercise patience and understanding in circumstances such as this. My sister Kikyo has been gone for over a fortnight. If her soul was the cause of young Kagome's current condition, her symptoms would surely have appeared sooner.

"Furthermore, ye of all people should know how many dangers exist in Kagome's era that we simply have never imagined. I will treat Kagome as best as I know how, but in the meantime it would be best for ye to return to her time and inquire about other possible reasons for her infirmity."

Inuyasha gave Kaede another blank, confused stare. "...And in plain Japanese, that means what?"

Kaede stood up, grabbed Inuyasha by one of his fuzzy little dog ears, and manually dragged him back to the Bone Eater's Well. "Ye will return to Kagome's time, explain her condition to her relatives, and ask if there is any reason for her condition that we have not yet considered." With that, she shot a small blast of miko energy directly at Inuyasha's back, effectively knocking him into the well. Once she was sure he was on his way to the future, she started to hobble back to her hut. "A nice cup of tea should do the child good. Likely she merely has a fever. That Inuyasha...a simple change in smell makes him as nervous as a pup with fleas."

**:500 YEARS LATER:**

"I'm sorry...could you repeat that?" Mrs. Higurashi had come up the stairs to check on Kagome, only to find her daughter gone and her (hopefully) future son-in-law sniffing around the girl's room. Due to her shock, she had been unable to comprehend the question thrown at her by the boy, whose voice had been muffled by the comforter on her daughter's bed.

"I'm lookin' for something that made Kagome smell funny." Inuyasha didn't stop his search, though he paused and glanced at the older woman out of respect (or surprise...Mrs. Higurashi was fairly sure that he was too occupied with his search to notice her coming up the stairs).

Mrs. Higurashi sighed. "Well, I'm not sure I can help you there; I don't have an incredibly accurate sense of smell. What differences did you notice in her scent?"

Inuyasha pulled his head out from under the bed to respond. "She smelled kinda like herself, but not quite."

"Are you sure she wasn't sick?" The oden was the most likely cause of this change in smell...but surely Inuyasha had been around Kagome when she was sick before. He had never come to the modern era without Kagome before; and he certainly had never torn her room apart before, just to look for something that might've caused an illness of some kind.

"Nah...she's gotten sick before, but when she's sick it usually smells like acid or rotten fruit. Unless it's some kind of poison...but poison doesn't smell like Kagome." The confused hanyo sat back on his heels, his ears turned back in annoyance and thoughtfulness. "I think whatever's causing it is in this room...but it's so mixed up with Kagome's scent that I can't tell where it is!"

Motherly instincts on Mrs. Higurashi's part suggested an alternate plan of action. "So, Inuyasha...what does Kagome smell like to you?"

The boy, lost in his own little world, responded instinctively, "Peaches and cherry blossoms." Realizing a moment later what he'd said, he practically dove under the school desk to avoid displaying his blush and facing his crush's mother.

To his surprise, Mrs. Higurashi laughed openly. It was a carefree, hearty chuckle; he knew now where Kagome had gotten that wonderful laugh of hers. "I think I know what the problem is, Inuyasha." She plucked a small bottle from on top of the desk, read the label, and popped the top off. After taking a small whiff of it's contents, she held the bottle down for Inuyasha (who crawled slowly out from under the desk) to smell. Sure enough, it smelled quite a bit like peaches and cherry blossoms, but more...artificial. While Kagome had a natural, soothing scent, this smell was too perfect. It was also slightly mixed up with the smell of Kagome's world - harsh, man-made, and superficial. Yup, that's what he smelled.

The older woman continued. "Kagome told me that you weren't going to pick her up for a few days, so she and her friends went shopping. This was a gift from one of her friends; apparently, someone made a comment about her always smelling like she had been going weeks without a bath."

Inuyasha stiffened slightly. It was his fault, he knew; he was the one responsible for dragging Kagome all over the Feudal Era without making sure she had a proper bath. It had always fascinated him that humans weren't as tolerant of body smells as Inu-yokai were, even though their overall sense of smell was far weaker. Oh, well. "So...she's not sick? She was pretty hot when I picked her up." He dove back under the desk (forgetting that there was no need to search now) when he realized what he had said.

"Well, I think she ate some old oden...she may very well be sick. The perfume she was wearing must have masked the smell of her illness." Mrs. Higurashi placed the bottle back on the desk, then turned to leave. Suddenly remembering the reason she had come up the stairs in the first place, she turned back around. "By the way, where is my daughter? She has a big test tomorrow, and I saw the size of that stack of homework. I'd like her to work on it for a day or two here...if she's feeling better, that is."

The hanyo knew he had to think fast. He'd never seen Kagome's mother loose her temper, but if she was anything like Kagome it wouldn't be pretty. "Um...she's...uh...back in my era. Yeah; Kaede's getting her something...to help." With that he jumped out the window, leaving a confused (and not entirely convinced) woman in his wake.

**:BACK IN THE PAST:**

Kagome stirred slightly in her sleep. She could've sworn she heard her name being called...

"Kagome, child," Kaede whispered in a soft, soothing tone. "Ye must wake up and have some tea. It will bring the fever down."

Kagome, her fuzzy mind not registering that she had somehow traveled to the past in her sleep, automatically sat up and began drinking the tea.

Kaede continued. "I'm afraid Inuyasha has brought ye here without warning. He was very worried about the strange smell on ye, and may not have been thinking properly." She paused to take a sip of her own tea. "Smells affect him strangely, in ways we humans cannot understand."

The schoolgirl nodded. _'Yeah, smells sure do drive Inuyasha crazy. Wait, smells...' _Suddenly, she stood straight up, nearly upsetting her cup. "That's it!"

"What, child...?"

"I know why I smell funny! I've got to find Inuyasha and tell him!" _'And give him a piece of my mind for taking me away from my family without my permission...'_

* * *

...Well...I just couldn't resist having Kaede give Inuyasha what-for. Of course, he can't _hurt_ the old lady; if he did, who would give them advice and a place to stay in between expeditions? And if you're all wondering about Miroku, Sango, Kilala and Shippo...they're all on a...trip! Yeah, a trip. I'll try to work them into the end. Oh, and Kohaku too...after all, he's technically in the storyline, seeing as this is right before Manga Chapter 530.


	3. Slight Complications

All right, everyone; I have finally kicked my lazy rear into action. I'm graduating (high school...) so I've been busy. It's a sorry excuse, but - strange as it may seem to some - my schoolwork comes before fanfic updates. Yes, I have been told I'm an unusual one.

Anyhow...the show must go on. Even if it's a bit belated. Onward!

* * *

**Kagome's Odd Smell  
****Slight Complications**

"Inuyasha? InuYASHA?" Kagome called, her mind still fuzzy from the throbbing headache she had mysteriously acquired. "INUYAAAAAAASHAAAAAA!"

Unfortunately, the dog-eared hanyo was nowhere to be found. On top of that, Kaede's medicinal tea was making the schoolgirl rather drowsy. Luckily, the Goshinboku was only a few meters away; she gratefully collapsed onto the welcoming, ancient roots and laid her aching head against the rough bark. Now that she had achieved some semblance of comfort, Kagome's first reaction was to brood angrily over Inuyasha's rash diagnosis. If Inuyasha hadn't been so early, he wouldn't have had to smell the perfume that Eri, Ayami, and Yuka had all pitched in to get her. He was always trying to drag her back to the Feudal Era early; why couldn't he understand that she had friends and family in the future!

Actually, the more she continued that last line of thought, the more her anger dissipated. As the months had gone by, Inuyasha had been bringing her back earlier and earlier from her trips home. At first, he had only come to get her minutes before their departure on the next shard-hunting trip; but these days, he would bring her back to the Feudal Era a day or two before their friends were ready to set out. It was almost as if...well, almost as if he wanted to spend more time with her. Even though her favorite hanyo was a practiced expert at hiding her feelings, everyone from Kaede down to Shippo had commented on his strange behavior during her trips to the future. He would sit in a tree all day, neither speaking nor eating; never sleeping, that anyone noticed, but just...waiting. Waiting for _her_. Admittedly, it was flattering - not in the way that Hojo's ridiculous 'cures' were, but in a macho, tough-guy way. It was a sign that, underneath the facade of indifference, Inuyasha did indeed have a healthy share of humanity.

"Kagome!"

'_Speaking of flattery...'_ The noise reached Kagome only moments after her growing miko powers alerted her to the familiar yoki that was headed - very quickly - in her direction. _'Inuyasha is going to __**kill**__ me...'_

"There you are!" The wolf yokai appeared in a whirlwind of dust, forcing Kagome to sneeze three times before refocusing her attention on her 'suitor.' By the time her fever-addled senses were operational again, Koga had grabbed her hands and brought his face only inches from hers. "I was so worried about you! I haven't seen you since Kikyo's death! So...how is mutt-face treating you?"

Kagome was about to respond when she noticed the wolf yokai sniffing the air around her. _'Oh, great...not again...'_

Koga, heedless of her discomfort, rambled on. "Kagome? Why do you smell odd...and like that dog-turd?" Suddenly, his face darkened. "He...he wouldn't dare..."

"Dare what, Koga?" The miko's voice was tinged ever-so-slightly with annoyance.

"You're not...you're not carrying his...pup...are you?"

Kagome shut her eyes tightly, trying to keep from loosing her infamously hot temper. 'Trying' is, of course, the key phrase. She put great effort into the attempt; therefore, her reactions were purely instinctive.

**:IN A NEARBY WELL:**

Inuyasha held the bottle of 'purr-fume' gently but firmly in one clawed hand. Time-traveling was awkward business if you don't know what you're doing, and the half-yokai didn't want to end up in a miko-induced crater because he spilled her bottle of smelly liquid. As soon as he arrived back in his own era, the first thing he noticed was the lack of modern smells. It always refreshed him to return to the past; and today was no exception, especially because he now knew what was wrong with Kagome.

The second thing he noticed was the presence of two smells - Kagome's and a certain wolf's - unnervingly close to each other. Inuyasha swiveled his ears, utilizing his hanyo-strength hearing to catch the words being exchanged between the two.

"...dog-turd...he...he wouldn't dare..." Koga sounded ticked off. The hanyo smirked. The wolf had a good nose; he must have picked up Kagome's unusual smell. And the only male scent on her was Inuyasha's...

"Dare what, Koga?" Even from his position down in the well, Inuyasha winced at the sharpness in Kagome's voice. Outwardly, the temperamental schoolgirl may look happy nearly all the time, but Inuyasha had quickly learned to pick up on the subtle changes in demeanor that showed her true attitude.

"You're not...you're not carrying his...pup...are you?" Inuyasha smirked wickedly, completely forgetting that not two hours earlier he himself had come to a similar conclusion. Upon feeling a spike in Kagome's miko energy, he decided to wait in the well a bit longer. Koga was long overdue for a lecture from Kagome, anyways.

His smirk widened to a grin when he heard the sound of hand-to-face contact reverberating through the clearing. _'Take THAT, wimpy wolf!'_

**:BACK TO THE BATTLE ZONE:**

Koga was thoroughly confused. He had interpreted Kagome's original silence as an acknowledgement that she was, indeed, carrying Inuyasha's pup; but the slap that left a red mark plastered over the whole left side of his face forced him to rethink. By Feudal Era terms, this girl was feisty almost to a fault; but then, Koga never liked to do things the easy way.

All of a sudden, a change in the wind brought the scent of a certain inu-hanyo to the wolf-yokai chieftain's sensitive nose. Well, whatever had happened to _his_ woman, this certainly was no place to talk about it. With one smooth motion he whisked Kagome off her feet and over his shoulder, then set off at a breakneck pace toward the wolf den.

Needless to say, Kagome was less than amused. Her instinctive reaction was to kick Koga in the stomach, pull his hair, and simultaneously yell "OSWARI!" - the last of which, unfortunately, did more harm than good for her predicament. As Koga bounded into the forest, Kagome caught a glimpse of a flash of blue light from the depths of the well. She gulped, realizing exactly what she had done and trying to drown out Koga's chuckles. _'Yup,'_ she sighed, mentally kicking herself, _'Inuyasha is going to __**KILL**__ me...'_

Hahaha...no, Inuyasha will not _actually_ murder Kagome...but he might come awfully close to turning Koga into Chop Sui. Anyways...arigato to all my reviewers! Your nagging and insistance keeps me working at my slow, steady pace. I plan on uploading the next chapter after graduation - in about a week or so. Yes, that's unusually fast for this story, but I believe in miracles. Until then: have a safe, peaceful, happy week!


	4. One Last Bump in the Road

Huzzah! I have (finally) graduated high school! Yes...yes...hold your applause...

Anyways, I thank you all for your reviews. They mean a lot to me. I'm glad you enjoy reading this story as much as I've enjoyed writing it. Now...on to the next chapter!

Oh, and before I begin: I used some more Japanese words in this chapter. I italicized the more uncommon words for reference. Just as a side note, I tend to use Japanese terms for the _yokai_, and generally use English terms for the _ningen_. Plus, you learn a little Japanese..._ne?_ Just in case I've confused anybody, I'm translating all my Japanese terms in this chapter.

**JAPANESE TERMS (In order of appearance)**

**Yokai** - a mythological or supernatural being (translated 'demon' in English for reasons unknown to this author)  
**Ningen** - human  
**Ne** - a word used at the end of a sentence to turn it into a question  
**Hanyo** - a being who is half human and half yokai (like Inuyasha). Translations are "half-yokai" and the more insulting "half-breed"  
**Ookami** - wolf; in this case, wolf-yokai like Koga  
**Inu** - dog; Inuyasha is an inu-hanyo, or half dog-yokai  
**Houshi** - a monk of the Buddist religion, like Miroku (well...hopefully not _like_ Miroku)  
**Taiji-ya** - a yokai exterminator, like Sango  
**Kitsune** - fox; in this case, fox-yokai like Shippo  
**Nekomata** - a specific type of neko (cat) yokai depicted in Japanese myths as ferocious and violent shape shifters. Kilala, the nekomata in _Inuyasha_, is actually quite sweet (though she has incredible battle prowess, especially when teamed with Sango) and the only time she shape shifts is to hide her normal fiery powers in the body of an adorable kitten, making it easier for Sango to carry her around.  
**Nezumi** - rat or mouse; in this case, rat or mouse yokai  
**Sutra** - a piece of paper (or parchment) with a spell written on it; used by houshis like Miroku, usually for purifying or subduing yokai

* * *

**Kagome's Odd Smell**

**One Last Bump in the Road**

Inuyasha growled, still embedded in the bottom of the Bone-Eater's Well...in the modern era. His brain supplied countless curses to throw at the girl who had landed him in this predicament, but the memory of the girl's mother kept him from actually saying any of those curses out loud. While he waited for the spell to wear off, the disgruntled hanyo thought back to the events that led up to his current situation.

He had overheard Kagome and Koga talking about the change in Kagome's smell (which had ended in a smack that would've done Sango proud), then a shift in the wind had caused him to lose their scents. He knew, from his experience as a hunted being, that this same shift had put him upwind of Koga...and the _ookami_'s sensitive nose had picked up the smell of inu-hanyo in an instant. Then came Kagome's muffled cries and the sounds of dull impacts - no doubt, the wimpy wolf had tried to run off with her again - but what Inuyasha still (after a whole minute of 'hard' thinking) didn't understand was why Kagome had yelled his subduing command.

As soon as the spell wore off, he leapt out of the well and sat on the hard wooden floor of the small shrine - after all, there was no telling what an angry miko might do to an unsuspecting hanyo when she was angry at him. _'But...why would Kagome be angry at __me__?'_ The poor boy wondered. _'Let's see...'_

'_...I went to bring her back early...'_

'_...I overreacted (a little) when I noticed a change in her scent...'_

'_...I brought her back to my time without asking...'_

'_...I left her there without an explanation...'_

'_...but that's not anything more than I normally do. Usually, she just yells "OSWARI!" and gets over it.'_

'_...Wait...'_

Realization hit Inuyasha in the head harder than Sesshomaru's iron fist. He paled slightly, trembling in rage at the thoughts that passed between his white, fuzzy ears. Full of righteous fury, he leapt down the well that connected him with his own era, determined to wreak vengeance upon the object of his wrath...even if he had to sacrifice his dignity to do so. It was a risky shot, but Inuyasha figured it wouldn't be too bad; hopefully, it would get him Kagome back.

Koga would never know what hit him.

**:SOMEWHERE OUTSIDE TOKYO...500 YEARS PREVIOUSLY:**

Kagome didn't even realize that she had fallen unconscious until she woke up, still slung over Koga's shoulder. Carefully, so as not to alert the wolf yokai to the fact that she was conscious, she rotated slightly, then evened her breathing back into a slow, steady rhythm. Summoning all her miko might, she concentrated it into her hands as she had seek Kikyo do when facing Urasue. Then, with a mental note of apology to her unfortunate kidnapper, she let her power loose - though she tried to take the edge off her normally destructive powers.

The effects were instantaneous. With a cry of pain, Koga disappeared in a flash of pink miko energy.

**:IN A VILLAGE NEIGHBORING KAEDE'S:**

Miroku, Sango, Kilala and Shippo were enjoying a well-deserved meal in an inn - one they had actually paid for, much to Miroku's disappointment. Sango had wisely pointed out that any attempt to cheat an innkeeper who also happened to be a friend of Kaede's would probably result in unwelcome feelings for their group in the whole area - though her wisdom earned her the _houshi_'s heartfelt respect, which he expressed with a touch to the _taiji-ya_'s rear. The young man had sat quietly ever since, nursing the red slap-mark to his cheek and allowing the others to eat in peace.

The serenity of the scene was interrupted by a red blur that traveled down the road, through the small village, and into the inn, coming to an abrupt halt right before the guests. When the dust cleared, the people of the village noticed a red-clad young inu-hanyo standing inside the hut. Really, no one was surprised; because of their relatively close proximity to the Goshinboku and the Bone-Eater's Well, they had all heard the legends surrounding Inuyasha and Kikyo, and - more recently - Kagome and Naraku. The small group was seen every few weeks on their way to and from expeditions to hunt the Shikon Jewel Shards. Now rumors were going around that, after nearly a year of searching, the Jewel was almost completed. It had, therefore, seemed odd to the villagers that the lecherous _houshi_, the feisty _taiji-ya_, the young _kitsune_, and the transforming _nekomata_ had appeared alone to help them with their infestation of _nezumi_. Needless to say, Inuyasha's appearance only served to tell the locals that their protector had not up and died of loneliness while his not-so-secret crush was working on mathematical equations 500 years in the future. They merely sighed, shook their heads, and went back to work.

**:INSIDE THE HUT:**

"Shippo..." Inuyasha growled at the yokai boy he had nearly avoided stepping on.

The kit just looked up at his father-figure (whose emotional state he could read like an open book) and responded, "Whatever it was, I didn't do it. If you pound on me when I didn't do nothin', Kagome'll 'oswari' you 'till your back breaks."

Needless to say, that comment didn't go over very well.

It took Sango and Miroku ten minutes to separate the wrestling boys. Once their mission was finally accomplished, Miroku sagely asked, "So, Inuyasha. What brings you here?"

The hanyo just growled from his place on the floor, his wrists and ankles bound with _sutra_-strengthened rope. "Shut it. Koga ran off with Kagome, and she subdued me before I could follow."

"And...?" Miroku was slightly disturbed by the fact that his normally independent companion was - apparently - asking for _help_.

"And, ya damn lecher, I need to get out there and look for her! She's obviously actin' funny 'cause she's sick. There's no telling' what she'll do with that damn wimpy wolf the way she is!"

Actually, Miroku could think of quite a few things that Kagome could be doing with Koga if she wasn't herself, but before he could voice his opinions...

"PERVERT! KEEP YOUR HANDS TO YOURSELF!" The voice of the irate _taiji-ya _echoed through the village, followed by a loud slap.

With that Miroku was unconscious, his guilty hand still twitching in its glove just inches from its target: Sango's backside.

Shippo - who was also tied up to keep him from antagonizing the group's resident hanyo any further - simply sighed and shook his head. "Those kids," he muttered, rolling closer to Kilala to get some help with his bonds. "Why can't they act their age?"

"I heard that, ya twerp!" Came a response from the other side of the hut.

Kilala rolled her large, red eyes. Hopefully, Kagome could handle herself until the group straightened itself out. She looked over her mistress, the kitsune, the hanyo, and the twitching monk.

Well...this might take a while.

Whew! _That's_ finally done! The next chapter will be the last. I hope you all enjoyed! Let me know what you think of this. And yes, for once Inuyasha actually has a plan. Granted, he doesn't know about Kagome's...attack, but that has its purpose as well.

One more thing: Koga isn't dead. He's just...in a happy place...


	5. Home Again

Well, this wraps it up! Sorry for being so late; I've been busy...very, very busy...

I'm surprised at the number of responses I've gotten to this fanfiction. It was originally supposed to be a small form of stress relief - and I still don't consider it one of my best stories - but it turned out better than I had expected, nonetheless.

Thanks for reading! I hope you've enjoyed.

**JAPANESE TERMS (In order of appearance)**

**Hanyo** - a being who is half human and half yokai (like Inuyasha). Translations are "half-yokai" and the more insulting "half-breed"  
**Ookami** - wolf; in this case, wolf-yokai like Koga  
**Houshi** - a monk of the Buddist religion, like Miroku (well...hopefully not _like_ Miroku)  
**Haori** - in this case, Inuyasha's shirt  
**Shikon no Tama** - literally, "Jewel of the Four Souls;" it's the jewel that Kagome shattered at the beginning of the series (you guys should know all about this...)  
**Yokai** - a mythological or supernatural being (translated 'demon' in English for reasons unknown to this author)  
**Inu** - dog; Inuyasha is an inu-hanyo, or half dog-yokai  
**Taiji-ya** - a yokai exterminator, like Sango  
**Nezumi** - rat or mouse; in this case, rat or mouse yokai

* * *

**Kagome's Odd Smell**

**Home Again**

Kagome staggered away from the carnage that was once known as Koga. While the _ookami_ would certainly survive, his injuries were severe. The burns from her miko powers had created large open wounds stretching from his shoulder to his waist; and furthermore, he probably would not regain consciousness for some time. A small battle raged in the schoolgirl's mind between staying and caring for the man she had wounded and returning to the one she cared for.

Remembering that her beloved hanyo would probably be unusually angry at her for the unwarranted subjugation, Kagome decided to stay and do what she could for Koga. Inuyasha would understand...

...Wouldn't he...?

**:NOT TOO FAR AWAY:**

"Hurry up, ya slackers!" Inuyasha called out to his friends. Even for a hanyo like him, running at full speed for such a long time was taking it's toll on his body. Not that he'd ever admit it.

Miroku sighed from his perch atop Kilala (in _front_ of Sango to avoid unpleasant situations). "Careful, Inuyasha. You do not know what Koga has waiting for us! Remember the last time he kidnapped Kagome?"

None of them had forgotten the ambush that had allowed the _ookami_ to take their beloved miko. The surprise attack of Koga's wolf allies had bought him enough time to snatch Kagome and run off while keeping everyone - even Inuyasha - too busy to come to her rescue. It was because of this that Inuyasha, in a display of tactics unusual to his normally aggressive character, had gone out of his way to retrieve his comrades before chasing down Kagome and her kidnapper.

"So, you think Koga did something to Kagome?" Sango asked as the group slowed to a more comfortable pace.

Inuyasha groaned in impatience. "Yeah. That wimpy wolf must've hit her over the head or somethin' to get her to go with him. No one," he cracked his knuckles, "Gets away with messing with Kagome."

Because of his position at the head of the group, he missed the satisfyingly fearful expressions that his companions wore at this threat of violence. Inuyasha might have settled down considerably over the months the group had been chasing Naraku, but they all knew full well that he felt any threat to Kagome very personally. There was no doubt that Koga was in for a rough ride.

**:WITH A CERTAIN OOKAMI:**

Koga opened his eyes slightly, wincing at the pain. He attempted to sit up, but found that his movements were impeded by a number of bandages wrapped around his torso and upper arms. As consciousness slowly returned to him, he realized that Kagome's smell was not too far away. She must have been the one to bandage him...but why? Koga realized that he had made a serious mistake by carrying her off (twice, at that), but that didn't explain why she had taken the time to tend the wounds that she herself had inflicted. The wolf chieftain smiled slightly. Kagome's generosity and kindness - even to those who did not return the favor - were part of what he admired in her.

Suddenly, the _ookami_ noticed a strange combination of smells heading his way. There were four or five distinct scents, but each smelled almost like Kagome. Confused, he tried to get up once again to check the situation...but only dropped back to the ground.

Before his world turned black, Koga mentally congratulated Kagome on the strength of her strange medicinal "pills."

**:IN THE BUSHES NEARBY:**

"Quietly, Shippo...do you want him to hear us?"

"He's not awake, Miroku. And you'd better get your hand away from Sango's rear before she..."

_THWACK!_

"It's worth it..." The houshi managed to croak before falling to the ground in a daze.

Not far above them, Inuyasha had leapt into the branches of a tree and was scanning the clearing for Kagome. Sango, nervous about her friend's safety and disturbed by her fiancé's behavior, softly called, "Inuyasha, where is she? Can you tell?"

The hanyo dropped to the ground, a scowl firmly planted on his face. "She was here, all right. Her scent's pretty fresh - still smells funny, too - and the wimpy wolf's bandages are definitely her doing. I guess she's off at the stream we passed a while back, washing off his stench."

"In that case," mumbled the revived Miroku, "it would be better for us to split into two parties: one to watch Koga in case he regains consciousness, and one to search for Kagome. Inuyasha, you and Shippo can use your noses to track Kagome; the lovely Sango and I will stay here and watch Koga. We'll have Kilala in case we need to get away quickly." He turned to face his bride-to-be. "Does that suit you, O Queen of my Heart?"

_THWACK!_

"HENTAI!"

"Stupid houshi. Never learns, does he, runt?"

"Nope."

"...It's still worth...it..."

**:BY THE STREAM:**

"Whew! It's a good thing I found this place! Inuyasha's gonna have a fit if I go back smelling like Koga...not that he won't have a fit anyways, after I yelled 'oswari' at him for no reason..." Kagome paused in her monologue, feeling unusually hot and dizzy. She could've sworn she had heard a noise...and right after she had said 'oswari' too...could Inuyasha have tracked her already?

"...Inuyasha...?" She called, approaching the bushes with her bow and arrows in hand. She really didn't want to be dinner for some large yokai because she stupidly ran into a dense forest unarmed.

The bushes rustled. Kagome readied an arrow, aiming at the spot. Now if she could just see her attacker...

"KAGOME!!" A ball of fur launched itself at her, completely disregarding the arrow that missed it by millimeters and went sailing into the darkness of the forest.

"Shippo?" Sure enough, Kagome was greeted by the smiling face of the ever-cheerful fox-tailed yokai. "What are you doing here? And where are..."

"Oi! Wench! What're you tryin' to pull, huh?" Inuyasha stormed into view, a perfect mix of yokai fury and human stubbornness.

Kagome looked him over twice before noticing a tear in the right sleeve of his haori. Blood seeped out from a small cut underneath - nothing to worry about, but a wound nonetheless. "Inuyasha! What happened to you? You're hurt!"

"Keh! No thanks to you! What were you thinking, firing a purified arrow at random?"

The miko's expression turned from confusion to realization to an unusual mixture of embarrassment, horror, and guilt under the hanyo's amber gaze. "Oh, Inuyasha! I'm so, so sorry! I'll wrap you up right away."

Inuyasha, intent on punishing her for her lack of discretion and the injury to his pride (he had been so worried about her that he had forgotten to dodge the arrow), was about to shrug her off...until the smell of salt water mixed into her already muddled scent. _'Tears...? She...she's crying? Over a little scratch?'_ Screw his pride, Kagome was far more important!

"I'm so sorry...here, just push the sleeve of your haori down so I can...there!" Through her tears, Kagome gave a small grin of triumph after managing to wrangle the old-fashioned garments into a position that allowed her to dab at the wounded arm with her cotton ball soaked with rubbing alcohol.

Unfortunately, the owner of that arm was so caught up in his own thoughts that he winced when the alcohol made contact with the scratch. This small reaction - and a purely instinctive one at that - sent Kagome into another wave of guilt and tears.

Shippo merely looked on in awe, silently dreading the day when he fell in love with a member of the female species.

**:WITH KOGA ONE LAST TIME:**

The faint smell of the 'stupid mutt' Inuyasha's blood roused the sleeping wolf. He slowly sat up, this time mindful of the bandages. While he would never admit it to anyone, he was slightly worried about the hanyo. During their separate searches for Naraku, the two had become - well, not _friends_, but at least a pair of people who could depend on each other in and out of battle. Allies, for lack of a better word. Of course, that didn't mean that Koga would willingly give _his_ woman to the mutt, but he felt she was safe with the dog-eared boy.

That is, until a few weeks ago.

Naraku had gotten stronger with the completion of the Shikon no Tama. After sending his companions back to their den, Koga had secretly followed Inuyasha, Kagome and their group, awaiting the perfect time to sneak Kagome out of dog-breath's grasp before she made a decision that she would regret forever - like becoming the mutt's mate or something. The little change in her smell had frightened him to the core.

Summoning the last of his strength, Koga roused himself and began to sniff out Kagome's scent. It was so confusing...there were so many different variations of that lovely smell drifting through the air that Koga soon found himself running in circles. Wait...one of these scent trails was different; it was more...Kagome-like. Following that trail, Koga soon found himself traveling towards the nearby stream.

Unfortunately, he failed to detect the three followers who silently floated behind him.

**:BACK AT THE STREAM:**

"There. All done." Kagome, still sniffling slightly, put her medical supplies back in her giant yellow backpack while Inuyasha readjusted his clothing. He had figured out that silent forgiveness was the best way to deal with these outbreaks - saying anything generally made them worse. Apparently, Kagome's fever was affecting her normally cheerful disposition.

"Keh...thanks..." In an attempt to give some sort of comfort to Kagome, Inuyasha gently placed a clawed hand on her shoulder.

"Ah! There's my woman!"

"...Koga...?" Kagome asked, turning slightly to face the ookami and backing up slightly. _'Drat...those sleeping pills must not have much of an effect on yokai...'_

"Damn wolf!" Her protector howled as the aforementioned yokai swept up both of the girl's hands in one smooth motion. "Keep your hands to yourself! Kagome patched you back together; now run along back to your den!"

Koga closed his eyes, willing himself to ignore the distraction. "Kagome, I know how long you've waited to come with me. With Naraku growing in power, it just isn't safe for you to stay in the land of Musashi anymore. I've decided to take you back to my den with me, and we can finally start raising pups. Kagome...I love you more than anyone or anything in this world. I don't want you to just be my woman; I am going to make you my mate!"

Inuyasha's expression had grown gradually from aggression to hatred to depression over the course of Koga's lengthy speech. Kagome was a girl, after all; surely she would fall for kind and caring words like that. The hanyo loved Kagome as well, and he had for quite some time, but he had never put it into words. His ears drooped; now, he had lost the chance. That is, until a sudden noise caused them to perk straight upwards...

_THWACK!_

"HENTAI!"

"YOU JERK!"

Both Koga and Miroku - who had just landed with Sango on Kilala - suddenly found red handprints on their faces. Kagome was the first to follow her fist with an angry tirade.

"I can't believe it! You think you can carry me off like I'm a sack of rice, just because _you_ don't think it's safe, then declare that I'm you're _mate?_ This is ridiculous! I thought you had at least _some _decency; apparently I was wrong!" Kagome began shaking her fist, which was now glowing pink with miko power, in the shocked wolf-yokai's face for emphasis. "For your information, I am _quite_ safe. Not only am I _very_ capable of purifying yokai, as you have already seen," she gestured towards the bandages that covered most of Koga's torso, "But Inuyasha does a _fine_ job of protecting me _without your help!_ The _last_ thing I want is to be carried off to some wolf den on the other side of Japan, where I'll never get to see my family or friends again!"

"And as for _you,_" Sango cut in, glaring fiercely at her semi-conscious fiancé, who had been thrown off Kilala by the force of the blow, "That's the seventh time today that you've groped me! And we're on a _rescue mission_ in case you haven't noticed! I swear, you pervert, if you touch me that way _one more time_ today, I'll spend a month in the taiji-ya village! Just you _try_ to find me there!"

The houshi sighed. "Very well, my dearest; I shall deny my accursed hand the relief of your smooth, supple skin beneath my fingers...until tomorrow." No one was convinced by his vain attempts to look innocent and victimized, and Sango

Kagome decided to cut off the conversation before it got any worse. "Koga, I appreciate all your help in the fight against Naraku. I don't think we could've come this far without you. However, please understand that I will be staying here to finish that fight. I am happy to call you a friend, but _nothing_ more." The miko felt a little guilty when she saw a pained expression cross the aforementioned friend's face, but she couldn't back down now. This was for the best. "Koga, I suggest you return to your den. I'm sure there are plenty of wolf-yokai who would be more than willing to become your mate; you just need to find the right one."

With a longing look at the girl who had rejected him, and a final declaration of his feelings for her (which was cut off by an aggressive snarl from a certain inu-hanyo), Koga was gone.

"And just in time, too," Sango noted, "Kagome, you don't look well. We should get you back to Lady Kaede's village."

"Well...yeah...that's where I need...to...go..." Her adrenaline having worn off, Kagome collapsed into Inuyasha's waiting arms.

"I'll take her home," the boy declared authoritatively. "She needs medicine from her own time to recover quickly." _'And I'm the only one who can go through the well to get it for her,'_ he thought smugly.

Sango, Miroku, Kilala, and Shippo slowly made their way back to the village. "It was a good idea to use Kagome's perfume to disguise our scents, Miroku, " Sango began."

"Why thank you, my dearest!" The young man responded, placing his cursed hand tentatively around her shoulder. Yes, he would keep his promise...groping could wait another twelve hours or so.

None of them spoke; they didn't need words to express the companionship (and, for Sango and Miroku, love) that they shared. It was a peaceful ending to an exciting day.

"Halt! Who dares trespass on the lands of the great nezumi Raiko?" A huge rat growled at them from behind a large ancient tree.

Without batting an eye, Kilala and Shippo retreated a safe distance while the two adults readied their respective weapons.

Screw peaceful endings; this was much better.

**:AT THE HIGURASHI SHRINE:**

"Inuyasha!" Mrs. Higurashi exclaimed at the appearance of said bedraggled half-yokai. "Lay Kagome on the sofa; I'll get some medicine."

Without a word, Inuyasha carefully placed his beloved miko on the piece of furniture resembling a tall, fluffy futon and crouched beside it. His eyes wandered over the girl's unconscious form, checking for any injuries. The only thing he detected was the putrid smell of sickness, the 'purr-feeum' having been washed off at the stream in the Sengoku Jidai. Still, he maintained his vigil until Mrs. Higurashi returned with the medicine.

"There," she said triumphantly, having force-fed Kagome two white capsules and a cup of water, "Her fever should be going down soon. It's nothing serious; she'll be back to normal in a day or two." She headed for the door. "I need to go grocery shopping, so would you mind keeping an eye on her, Inuyasha? If she wakes up, just offer her something to eat. You remember how to make Ramen, don't you?"

The boy nodded solemnly, slightly in awe of the treasure that had been entrusted into his care. Well, with Kagome that made _two_ treasures. Still, it wasn't every day that he was actually allowed to make Ramen...Kagome usually guarded her stash carefully to prevent him from eating it all in one sitting.

The girl stirred slightly and opened her eyes. "'nuyasha?" She mumbled.

Inuyasha was by her side in an instant. "I'm here. Just go back to sleep."

Instead of obeying his orders, Kagome glanced around the room. Seemingly satisfied, she closed them again and relaxed. "You brought me...here..." A small smile came across her face. "Thanks..."

The boy's ears drooped. Of course she was happy; this time was her home, after all. Still, he hated being reminded that her place was here, not in his time. Not...with him...

"Inuyasha...I'll get better soon...so we can go...home..." Her voice trailed off into the peaceful silence of sleep.

Inuyasha decided to let her be. She had been through enough for one day, anyways. And the sooner she got better, the sooner they could _both_ go home.

Who knows? Maybe someday, not too far in the future, he and Kagome _would_ raise a litter of pups together.

From her post outside the window, Mrs. Higurashi smiled at the tender scene unfolding before her. Those puppy-eared grandchildren couldn't be too far away...

* * *

Yup, I (finally) finished! O, Joyous Happy Day! For all of you not following the manga, it just finished about a week ago. Go read it if you want to; in my humble opinion, it's much better than the anime. It _is_ 558 chapters, though, so it will take some time...but hey, what else can you do during the summer? (Note: don't answer that...)

A note about Koga: Ayame the female _ookami_ is a character found only in the anime. I chose not to include her for that reason; however, I left the story rather open-ended in that area. There's nothing saying that he _doesn't_ meet Ayame later on...and fall in love...and...well, you get the gist of it.

Finally, thanks to my reviewers:

Britedark: Thanks for the review, and I love your Inuyasha story! (For all you other readers, it's called "The Once and Future Black Tessaiga." It makes no sense if you don't read the manga, but it's an excellent one-shot about Inuyasha's father and the forging of Tessaiga and Tenseiga.)

**Princess Stormcloud 0217:** I hope this final chapter satisfied your curiosity!

**Juusan'ya:** I'm glad you enjoyed!

**The Nightopian Princess:** Thanks, and I'm sorry this update was out so late. Cool name, too!

**PinkCatsy:** Yes...sorry about the lack of update...but thanks for hanging in there.

**SistersGrimm:** Thanks for reviewing _all_ my stories, and I'm sorry if your enthusiasm was dulled by the fact that Kagome was not, in fact, pregnant.

**G2fan:** I'm glad you liked the story, and I hope your computer lets you read _all_ the chapters now. I hate it when mine acts up...

**Michelle Weasely Fenton:** Your review still makes me laugh; thanks! And I hope you enjoyed the story.

**WindMiko:** Thanks for the review, and I hope this still qualifies as "soon." In any case, I hope you enjoyed!

.

And to everyone: Thanks for reading! I appreciate feedback, and I hope you enjoyed reading _Kagome's Odd Smell_. If you did, perhaps you would consider reading one of my other stories...?

(Yes, that was a shameless plug. I love all my stories!)


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